Drill-bit-rotating mechanism for rock-drilling engines.



- PATENTED AUG. l, '1905.

y J. G. LEYN'ER. l DRILL BIT ROTATING MBGHANISM FOR ROCK DRILLING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 24. 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Ii.e

HMNHIIII f .PATENTBD AUG. 1, 1905.

l J.- G.LBYNER. y DRILL BIT ROTTING MEGHANISM POR ROCK DRILLING ENGINES. 4

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1904.

No. 796,081.y PATENTED AUG. 1, 1905.

I J. G. LEYNER. u DRILL BIT ROTATING NIEGHANISM FOR ROCK DRILLING ENGINES.

' APPLICATION :FILED JUNE 24. 1904.

` 4SHEETSSHBBT 3.

- mummI n PATENIED AUG. 1, 1005.

. I. E.l LEYNEE. DRILL EIT 110111111110 MEGHANISM 190111100114 DEILLING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1004.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

II m11- -lllllll-IIIIU I 0 AJIIIIIIIIIIL.v

l Impr@ tripod. ism illustrated in the accompanylng' drawl ings, in which- UNITED STATES.

PATENT oEEicE- JOHN GEORGE LEYNER, OE DENVER, COLORADO.

DRILL-BlT-ROTATING IVIECHANISM FQR ROCKDRILLING1ENGINES.

To all whom t may concern.-

ing lMechanism for Rock-,Drilling Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rock-cutting drillbit-rotating mechanisms for rock-drilling engines, and especially for the piston type of rock-drilling engines; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide a drill-bit-rotating device for pistonhammer rock-drills that operates through the medium of the rotation of the drill-bit feedscrew; second, to provide a manually-operatingdrillbit-rotating device for rock-drilling engines that operates to rotate the drill-bitby manual Yrotation of the feed-screw; third, to provide a drill-bit-rotating device that is operative bythe manual rotation vof the feedscrevv and suitable gearing; fourth, to provide a Combined dritta-waning andern-bitfeeding device that operates through means connected with the manual rotation of 'the drill-bits feed-screw; fifth, to provide av manually-operating drill-bit-rotating and drill-bitfeeding device that operates throughthe medium of the rotation of the feed-screw that is especially7 designed for use with piston-hammer rock-drills; sixth, to provide a rockdrilling' engine having a manually-operated drill feeding and rotating mechanism that is sensitive enough to enable an operator to feel the character of the rock he is `drilling in, and

rock-cutting' drill-bit to suit the hard and-soft spots and the cracks, crevices, talcky seams, &c., encountered in drilling holes in rock; seventh,` to provide a small simple lightweight rock-drilling engine that can be reciprocally fed in a supporting-shell that is adapted to be supported by a stopping-bar or l attain these objects bythe mechanySpecification of Letters Patent.

Application led June 24, 1904. Serial No. 213,988.

Iatented Aug. 1, 1905.

of drill-bit feedingand rotating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the front end of the drilling-engine. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional .view through the engine on the line 4 4ofv Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional vievv on vthe line 6 6 of Fig. 2. l Fig. 7 is ai side elevation of the drilling-engine, showing the 'same clamped upon a stopping-bar in position for drilling rock. Fig. Sis a side elevation, partly in section, of a rock-drilling engine, illustrating a modification in the drill-bit feeding and rotating mechanism. Fig. 9 is a sidey elevation of a rock-drilling engine embodying a further modification in the drill-bit feeding and rotating mechanism. Fig.- 10 is a front elevation ofv this form of drilling-engine, a

portion of the gear-casing being broken away;- and Flg. l1 is a transverse vertical sectlonal view taken on the line 11 1l of Fig. 9.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l ldesignates the cylinder of my rock-drilling engine. rlhis cylinder is provided with an axial bore of two diameters 2 and 3, the largest of which, 2, extends into it from its rear end for the greater portion of the length of the piston-hammers stroke, where it terminates in a square shoulder 4 at the beginning of the smaller bore 3, which continues from the shoulder to the front end portion of the cylinder. The ,entrance to the rear end of the cylinder-bore is threaded,`and a cylinder-head 5, which comprises a {iange portion 6,with a projecting hexagon nut portion 7 on its outside and a hub Vportion`on its inside. The hub portion is threaded to screw into the threaded bore of the cylinder until the iiange bears tightly against the end of the cylinder. At a short distance from the rear endof the cylinder I form on the cylinder a transverse cylindrical boss portion 8, in which are formed circular air-inlet apertures 9, the entrances of which are threaded to receive the threaded connecting end of a hose 10, which leads to a supply of compressed air. The air-hose may be connected to either side of the boss, and a plug l1 is screwed into the air-inlet aperture to which the air-hose is not connected. These air-inlet apertures connect with a circumferential recess l2, formed in the periphery of the bore of the cylinder,

n Figure l is a plan view of a rock-drilling y,.ingine embodylng the preferred constructlon 14 and 15, that are bored through the shell of the bosses 8 at converging oblique angles through projecting ribs 8", that extend along the sides of the cylinder and connect the bosses with a circumferential rib 8B, which surrounds the cylinder over the port 13. The entrances to the portholes 14 and 15 are plugged up tight after they are drilled. At substantially the same distance from the port 13 that the inlet-port 12 is from the port 13 a-circumferential exhaust-port 16 is formed in the cylinder. This exhaust-port is open to the atmosphere through a hole 17, which extends through the bottom of the shell of the cylinder into it. A circumferential rib 16A is formed on the periphery of the cylinderover the port 16. In the bore of the cylinder I reciprocally mount a piston-hammer 18, the peripheral surface of which is made in two diameters 19 and 2O to fit the two diameters of the cylinders bore. The pistonhammer is provided with an axial bore of two diameters 21 and 22, which extend into it from its rear end to within a short distance from its front end. The largest bore 21 of this axial aperture is at the rear end portion of the piston-hammer, and it extends from the rear end of the piston-hammer to within a shortv distance of the shoulder EA at the junction of the two diameters on the outside of the piston-hammer, from which point it connects Withthe smaller bore 22 by a beveled shoulder 23, through the lower edge of the peripheryof which a plurality of port-holes 24 are formed that extend radially through the shell of the piston-hammer. These portholes form the air-inlet ports to the interior of the piston-hammer. A plurality of exhaust-port holes 25 also radiate from the inner end of the smaller diameter of the axial aperture 22 through the shell of the pistonhammer.

In Athe front end of the cylinders bore I place a long drill-bit-holding sleeve 26, which is'provided with a slightly-enlarged collar portion '27, which fits into a stepped counterbore 28, formed in the edge of the cylinders bore, and a large counterbore 29, that extends into the end of the cylinder. I secure the sleeve in the end of the cylinder by clamping the end of the cylinder to it. This clamp I form by cutting a groove through the end of the cylinder, and on opposite sides of the groove I form lugs 31 and 32, through which I insert a bolt 33, which when tightened clamps the end of the cylinder to the sleeve, securing it rigidly in the end of the cylinder. The front end of the cylinder is provided with a cylinder-head 34, which is bolted to lateral lugs 35, formed on its sides, by cap-screws 36. A step 36A is formed on the cylinder-head that projects intd the counterbore. 'I he drill-holding sleeve is provided with an axial aperture 37, which is adapted to receive loosely the shank end 39 of a rock-cutting drill-bit 40, which extends through the sleeve into the reciprocal path of the piston-hammer, which strikes directly on its end, as will be described more fully hereinafter. I preferably make the terminal end of the drill-bit thatextends through the drill-bit-holding sleeve and the hole in this sleeve round. A depending lug portion 40` is formed on the front end of the cylinder, and the large counterbore-aperture 29 intersects asimilar counterbore 41, which is formed directly below it, and intersects it so that the two counterbores form a continuous chamber of the same depth in the end of the cylinder. In this chamber I place in mesh with each other a small pair of spur-gears 42 and 43, preferably making them of the same diameter, although, if desired, the chan'iber may be arranged to use gears either one of which may be made larger or smaller than the other. rIhe gear 42 contains a polygonalshaped hole of preferably hexagon form through its center and is positioned to lit rotatably in the upper counterbore 29, which forms its supporting-bearing, and to lit loosely on the shank of the drill-bit, which is thus free to beinserted in or withdrawn from it, but is rotated by the gear whenever it is rotated, as the hexagon aperture locks the gear to the drill-bit. The gear 43 lits rotatably in the counterbore 41 of the cylinder and is preferably made an integral part of a long sleeve 45, which is rotatably journaled in an aperture formed in the depending portion of the cylinder; but, if desired, the gear may be made independent of the sleeve and may be secured to it in any suitable manner. 'lhis sleeve 45 comprises a long tube, and it cxtends frorn the gear 43 at the front end of the cylinder to a feed-screw n ut 46, that is secured to a depending lug 47, formed at the bottom of therear end ofthe cylinder. The end of the sleeve adjacent to the nut is provided on its inside with a key 46", which is secured to it by rivets 46. This feed-screw nut comprises a hub member that lits in the lug. '.lhe hub is provided with a head portion 49 at one end that bears against the end of the lng. ',lhe opposite end of the hub is threaded, and a nut 50 is threaded to it and is secured against the lug and clamps the nut rigidly to it. A threaded hole is formed through the nut parallel with the axis of the cylinder, and a feedscrew 51 is rotatably threaded to it. This feed-screw extends loosely through the sleeve 45 and the gear 43, which is mounted on it, and beyond the nut to a bearing-block 52, in which it is rotatably secured. The feed-screw is provided with a keyway 54, in which the feather-key 46A lits loosely, thus rotatably and slidably securing the sleeve and its gear to the the lugs.

v''feed-screw'.A `cylinder is. supported in a shell 55, which comprises an open-topped substantially semicircular-shaped casting, which is provided with guideway-recesses 56 in the opposite sides of its inner periphery close to its top, and the bottom of the cylinder is provided on its opposite sides at its bottom throughout its `length with laterally-extending slideways 57, that slidably tit'in the guideway-recessesin the supporting-shell. On the ,bottom 'of the shell a depending circular inverted dovetailed hub 58 is formed that is adapted to be adjustably clamped to a stopping-bar, as shown in 7, or toa tripod, which Ido not illustrate. This circular hub enables the shell and cylinder to be pivotally adjusted in any desired position on any suit-y able stopping-bar or tripod. The rear end of t'he shell at its sides is provided with projecting lugs 59, to which one end ofapair of rods I 60 are bolted. These rods are provided withA collars 6l close to their opposite end, and their ends lare threaded' and project through the a collar 65, formed on the feed-screw, and

the smaller aperture receives the terminal end of the feed-screw, which projects through it far enough to receive a crank-handle 66, which is keyed to it by a square surface on the end of the stem of the screw and a square-holed slotted hub on the cranlnwhich is also clamped to the screw-stem by a bolt 67. A pin-hole 68 is made up through the bottom of the block, and a pin-hole 69 is formed in the collar to register with it, which permits the screw to be locked to the block by any suitable pin.

The drill-bit 40`may be made with any desire'd number or arrangement of rock-cutting lips.

The shank may be ot' any desired form o'r cross-section from the rock-cu'ttinglips up to its rotating gear 42, where some form of polygonal surface is formed in it, and the axial aperture in the gear is made to correspond with it in order to loosely key the gear and "drill-bit together, so that the drill-bit will be rotated by the gear.

'In Fig. 8 I illustrate my improved drill-bit rotating and feeding mechanism in a'slightlymodiiied form from the drill-bit -'rotating mechanism illustrated in Figs. 2'and 3. In this modiication the tubular sleeve 45 is'dispensed with. The feed-screw extends revo- "lubly through the depending lug 40A of vthe cylinder to the gear 43, which is preferably made anintegral part of the-screw. The gear being inclosed in the counterbore acts as a col'lar-bearingfor the feed-screw, supporting lsupporting-block, moving the cylinder back and forth with it in the shell, and as the screw and its gear 43 are rotated the gear 43 rotates the gear 42 and the drill-bit 40. In the preferred construction the feed-screw is xed rotatably in the block 52, and the cylinder and sleeve and nut move along the feed-screw as it is turned in the block, and the feed-screw rotates the sleeve 45 and the gear 43 through the medium of the feathered key, which moves freely along the keyway of the screw as the cylinder is moved to and fro in the shell by the rotation of the feed-screw, and the gear 43 rotates the gear 42,'which rotates thedrill-bit.

In Figs. 9, l0, and 11 AI illustrate still another modilication of my improved rocli-drilling engine drill-bit-rotating device. In this modification the central aperture in the bear-v ing-block 52B is enlarged and a gear 70 fis ro-` tatably seated in it. 'This gearv is secured to the feed-screw and may be made integral with it, if desired. The bearing-block is made larger, and a circular chamber 7l is formed at one side of the aperture and intersects it, and a gear 72 is rotatably seated in this chamber in mesh with the gear 70. -A cap 7 3 is bolted to the inner side of the block by cap-screws 73A. A -rod 74 extends through the centerl of the gear 72 and also through anaperture in they cap and through the blockinto a hub portion 75,v formed on the rear side ofthe block,

to forma bearing for its rear terminal end.

The ygear 72 may be secured in any suitable way to the rod or may, it' desired', be made an integral part of it.v The rod 74 extends from the bearing-block 5-2B to a short distance beyond the front end of the cylinder and passes through a projecting lug 76, which is formed on one side of the frontend of the cylinder'in place of the depending lug of the Figs. l and 2. This laterally-formed lug is provided with a counterbore-77, that inter'- sects a counterbore 29Arin theend of the cylind'er,` which is provided with a gear 42A, similar to the gear 42, (shown in Figs. 2 and 4,) and a ygear 78 is rotatably mounted in the counterbore 77 and meshes with the gear 42A. This gear 78 isprovided with an axial aperture that lits loosely over the rod 74, and a featherkey is secured to it that fits loosely and-slidably in a keyway or spline 79, formed in the rod. Thisarrangement permits me to arrange the gears in the bearing-block and at the drill-bit to give any desired number of rotations or a proportion of a revolution to v .the drill-bit relative to a revolution of the feed; screw. rlhis feedscrew is rotatably journaled in the bearing-block the same as in Figs. 1 and 2 and extends through the nut 50 to the front end of the shell.

Thev operation of my improved rock-drillrotating device is as follows: My improved rock-drilling engine and its supporting-shell are mounted on any suitable stoping-bar in a tunnel, stope, drift, or shaft of a mine in operative relation to rock, substantially as shown in Fig. 7, and assuming the piston to be at the end of its forward stroke in the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 2, the compressed air Hows from its source of supply through the hose 10 into the inlet-port 12 and through the lateral ports 14C and 15 to the port 13 and entering the cylinder between the shoulder 4 of the cylinder and the shoulder 2OA of the piston- `hammer moves the piston backward to the rear end of its stroke in the cylinder, and when the ports of the piston-hammer pass the inletport 12 the air rushes from the inlet-port into and through the plurality of radial ports 24: into the interior of the piston-hammer and to the rear end, cushioning it just before it strikes the cylinder-head and starting it back and throwing it forward and impinging it with great velocity against the end of the drill-bit, as the air flows into the interior of the pistonhammer in much greater volume than against its shoulder 20Athrough the port 13. When it reaches the forward end of its stroke, its exhaust-ports register with the exhaust-port 16, and the air in the interior of the piston-hammer flows out to the atmosphere through the exhaust-port 17. The air then again enters the inlet-port and the reciprocal stroke is repeated. rlhe piston-hammer strikes the drillbit with great rapidity, causing it to drill rock very fast, and the operator rotates the cran k-handle, which rotates the feed-screw and feeds the cylinder forward in its supportingshell, and at the same time the rotation movement of the feed-screw imparts, through the medium of the gearing' operatively connected to the feed-screw and to the drill-bit, a rotary movement to the drill-bit, which constantly moves its rock-cutting points around in the hole being drilled, thoroughly preventing channeling and enabling them to cut evenly in circular progressive order in the bottom of the hole being drilled. When the cylinder is fed to the limit of the feed-screw length, the crank-handle is rotated to feed it back to its rearward limit in its supporting-shell, when a longer drill-bit is inserted and the drilling resumed. When feeding the cylinder backward in the shell, the drill-bit is rotated in the opposite direction from which it is when feeding the cylinder forward. This, however, does not matter, as the air is shut off and the drill-bit is moving away from the rock. 1n fact, the attendant can hold the drill-bit in the bottom of the hole, if he desires, and run the cylinder back, allowing it to move away from the shank of the drill-bit. As the drillbit is simply pushed into its gear and sleeve and rests loosely in them in striking relation to the reciprocal path of the piston-hammer, the cylinder must be fed by the operator to hold the drill-bit constantly against the rock, and my piston-hammer drill-bit-rotating device possesses the vital and essential feature of enabling the operator to not only do this in the most desirable manner, but the gearrotating mechanism is so sensitive that it transmits from the rock-cutting lips through the drill-bit and gears and the feed-screw to the hand of the operator as full knowledge of the character of the rock the drill-bit is cutting as though he could see the bottom of the hole, as every tremble and vibration of the drill-bit is distinctly felt by the hand of the operator, and as the vibrations of the drillbit are very distinctly different when drilling in rock of different degrees of hardness and of seamy and talcy and soft rock the operator is in positive direct physical touch with the cutting-points of the drill-bit, every hit of which is telegraphed to his hand, and he can govern the speed accordingly and the conditions of the feed.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred construction and arrangement of v my improved piston-hammer rock-drilling engine drill-bit-rotating device, 1 do not wish to be limited to the construction and arrangements shown, as many changes mightbe made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rock-drill, comprisinga cylinder having a piston-hammer and a revoluble drillchuck, a support on which said cylinder is slidabl y mounted, a feed-screw in engagement with said cylinder and support, and means whereby rotation of said screw effects rotation of said chuck, as set forth.

2. A rock-drill, comprising a cylinder having a piston-hammer and a revoluble drillchuck, a support on which said cylinder is slidably mounted, a feed-screw in engagement with said cylinder and support, and meshing gears rotating with said screw and chuck, as set forth.

3. A rock-drill, comprisinga cylinder llaving a piston-hammer and a revoluble drillchuck, a support on which said cylinder is slidably mounted, a feed-screw in engagement with said cylinder and support, asleeve lnounted to rotate with but slide on said screw, and means whereby rotation of said sleeve effects rotation of said chuck, as set forth.

4. A rock-drill, comprisingacylindcr having a piston-hammer and a revoluhle drillchuck, a support on which said cylinder is slidably mounted, a feed-screw in engagement with said cylinderand support, asleeve mounted to rotate with but slide on said screw, andY cylinder, in thereciprocal path of said pistonhammer, a polygonal surface on said drillbit, a gear loosely mounted on said drill-bit and rotatably journaled in saidv cylinder, a gear in mesh with said drill-bit gear, a feedscrew operatively vconnected to said cylinder, and means for rotating said second gear from said feed-screw.

6. In a rock-drilling engine, a cylinder, a supporting-shell in which said cylinder is slidably mounted, a piston-hammer reciprocally mounted in said cylinder, a drill-bit supported in said cylinder in the reciprocal path'of said piston-hammer, a gear rotatably mounted in said cylinder and provided with a polygonal-shaped axial aperture, surrounding the entrance to said drill-bit, a polygonal-shaped surface on said drill-bit adapted to register loosely in the aperture in said gear, a second gear rotatably journaled in said cylinder and arranged in operative mesh with said p drillbits gear; a sleeve projecting from said gear, a feed-screw operatively connected to said cylinder and shell extending through said sleeve, and means connected with said feed.- screw and said sleeve whereby rotation of said feed-screw effects rotation of said drillbit.

7. In a rock-drilling engine, an operative cylinder and piston and a feed-screw operatively connected to said cylinder, a drill-bit in said cylinder,4 a sleeve supported by said cylinder and surrounding said feed-screw, a keyway in said sleeve, a feather-key secured to said sleeve and projecting loosely into said keyway, a gear on said sleeve, and means including a gear arranged with the gearon said sleeve for rotatingsaid drill-bit.

8. In a rock-drilling engine, a power-drill having a drill-bit, a feed-Screw operatively attached to said power-drill, a sleeve rotatably and slidingly mounted on said feed-screw and gear connection between said sleeve andsaid drill-bit whereby rotation of said sleeve elects rotation of said drill-bit.

9. In a rock-drilling engine, a rock-drill, a' motive iiuid controlled hammer piston forv striking the same, a gear on said drill, a feedscrew for feeding said drill, a sleeve feathered to said feed-screw, and a gear secured to said sleeve and inmesh with said drill-gear.

10. In a rock-drill, the combination of acylinder provided with a reciprocating hammerpiston, a drill-holding sleeve extending into the front end of said cylinder, means -for 'clamping said sleeve in said cylinder, a drillbit loosely mounted in said sleeve in striking relation to said piston-hammer, a counterbore in said cylinder adjacent to said sleeve, a gear rotatably mounted in said counterbore, a polygonal-shaped aperture in said gear, a polygonal-shaped surface on said drill-bit slidably mounted in the aperture of said gear, and a cap loosely surrounding said drill-bit and secured to the end of said cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

JOHN GEORGE LEYNER. VVitnesses:

CLARENCE A. LANsoN, GEORGE R. GRIEVE. 

